LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Friday, April 24, 1998

OKLAHOMA STATE REGENTS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

From: Bryce Fair & Carolyn McCoy

The following document consists of three sections. Section I provides a brief narrative of legislative highlights and a summary of actions on bills during the week. Section II is an index of the bills we are tracking and Section III provides a short description of each bill and the latest legislative action on the bill. If you need copies of any of the bills, please contact Carolyn McCoy at (405) 225-9165 or e-mail her at "cmccoy@osrhe.edu".

SECTION I

Highlights This Week

Governor Announces Nominees:

On Friday, April 17, the Governor announced the following nominees for appointment to higher education governing boards and the board of the Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System. All the nominations are subject to Senate confirmation.

Carl Renfro of Ponca City was reappointed to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to serve a term ending May 16, 2007

Dorothy Zumwalt, 66, of Sapulpa to the Board of Regents of Tulsa Junior College to serve a term ending June 30, 2005 succeeding Edward Krumme

Bill O'Connor of Ponca City to the Board of Regents of Northern Oklahoma College to serve a term ending June 30, 2003 succeeding Chris Hand.

Dr. G. David Casper, 51, of Oklahoma City to the Board of Regents of Oklahoma City Community College to serve a term ending April 22, 2005 succeeding Rebecca Hamilton.

Cindy Ward, 48, of El Reno to the Board of Regents of Redlands Community College to serve a term ending April 22, 2005 succeeding Donna Van Tungeln

Chuck Darby, 41, of Broken Bow to the Board of Trustees for the McCurtain County Higher Education Program to serve a term ending June 30, 2007 succeeding Carla Sauter

Betty Wright, 56, of Del City was reappointed to the Board of Regents of Rose State College to serve a term ending July 1, 2005

Robert Hayes, 59, of Chickasha to the Board of Regents of the University of Science of Arts of Oklahoma to serve a term ending June 30, 2005 succeeding Harbour Whitaker

Barbara Osborn, 43, of Checotah was reappointed to the Teachers' Retirement System to serve a term ending June 30, 2002

Legislature Changes Conference Committee Procedures: Earlier this month, the House and Senate adopted HCR 1065, making changes in the process of how legislation is handled at the end of session. Under the new rules, any bill sent to a conference committee by April 23 can be brought out of the conference committee at any time until the end of session (May 29).

Previously, conference committees were required to file an initial report by April 29, regardless of whether or not the conferees had actually agreed on the final version of the legislation. Many bills would then have to be returned to conference committee for further work. This change will allow the conference committees to wait until the bills are finalized before bringing them to the floors of either house for final votes.

Upcoming Legislative Deadlines:

April 23, Thursday -- Request for Conference Committee

May 29, Friday -- Sine Die Adjournment

Actions on Bills This Week:

SENATE ACTIONS

Bills Passed on Senate Floor:

SB 973 - health insurance; intent language on Rainy Day Funds

SB 1059 - health insurance; mental health coverage

SJR 16 - Council on Violence Prevention

Bills Failed on Senate Floor:

none

HOUSE ACTIONS

Bills Passed on House Floor:

HB 2792 - employment security

Bills Failed on the House Floor:

none

GOVERNOR'S ACTIONS

Bills Sent to the Governor:

SB 973 - health insurance; intent language on Rainy Day Funds

SB 1059 - health insurance; mental health coverage

HB 2792 - employment security

Bills Signed By the Governor:

HB 2557 - Minority Teacher Recruitment Advisory Committee

HB 2952 - recycling

Bills Vetoed By the Governor:

SB 1059 - health insurance; mental health coverage

CHANGES TO THE LIST

Bills Added to the List:

none

Bills Deleted from the List: (These bills did not survive the April 16 deadline for floor action in the opposite house.)

College of Continuing Education Center for Child and Family Development, HCR 1087

inventory report, HB 2802

Veterinary college/university, SB 1236

Vietnam Veterans Day, HB 2255

Violence prevention, SJR 16

Workers’ Compensation, SB 1185

SECTION III

Descriptions of Bills and Current Status

Status Reported as of April 23, 1998

SENATE BILLS

SB 448 (Robinson/Stanley) – DENTAL BOARD. Clarifies language relating to the State Dental Board; provides that the Board of Dentistry shall provide by emergency rule that a licensed dentist who meets the educational requirements as required by the State Dental Act may transport any necessary monitoring equipment and anesthesia supplies to additional office locations. (59 § 328.15)

BILL PASSED - SENATE (26-17) 02/25/98

FLOOR AMENDMENT 04/13/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (97-0) 04/13/98

HOUSE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/22/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/22/98

SB 776

(Roberts/Begley) – TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Requires that a graduated amount equal to a portion of a teacher’s annual salary be credited against the employee contribution amount to the Teachers’ Retirement System for FY’99. (70 §17-108.2)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 02/25/98

TITLE STRICKEN 04/08/98

ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN - HOUSE 04/08/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (100-0) 04/08/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

GCCA

SB 793

(Long/Fields) – UNEMPLOYMENT. Modifies filing requirements for the Employment Security Commission to provide for electronic filing; requires persons claiming benefits to report all wages, regardless of the source or amount; modifies the maximum benefit amount computation to provide for increases in the applicable percentage determined by the conditional factor; makes benefits subject to federal income tax; modifies conditions constituting good cause for voluntarily leaving work to include when a physician found that it was medically necessary for a claimant to stop working or change occupations due to diagnosis or treatment of a medically verifiable illness or medical condition of the claimant or the minor child of the claimant; provides that an employer’s benefit wages shall not include wages paid by the employer to any employee or former employee who was discharged by an employer for unsatisfactory performance during an initial employment probationary period; provides for a 50-percent-reduction in employers’ contribution rates; requires that employers with a 5.5-percent-earned rate be reduced to 5.4 percent and those whose earned rate is 0.1 percent be reduced to 0 percent; modifies filings requirements for appeals; requires that monies credited to the unemployment trust fund, with respect to federal fiscal years 1999 through 2001, be used solely for administration of the unemployment compensation program and not subject to legislative appropriation; repeals sections relating to filing of notices, protests or appeals and to notice of intention to appeal. (40 § 1-224)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (43-0) 03/09/98

TITLE STRICKEN 04/16/98

ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN - HOUSE 04/16/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (96-0) 04/16/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/22/98

SB 798

(Stipe/Mass) – INCOME TAX CREDIT/STUDENT LOANS. Creates the "Economic Development Through Education Act" to provide an incentive for Oklahoma college graduates to stay in Oklahoma and work in "basic industry" companies (in particular, the semiconductor manufacturing industry, such as Intel Corp.); provides for an income tax credit for student loan payments for loans made after the effective date of this act, covering the cost of attendance at a state higher education institution, with which the taxpayer must have obtained a degree from such an institution; limits credit to the amount of loan repayments made in the tax year; provides for a 10-year carry-forward. (68 § 2357.71)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE 02/25/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (96-0) 04/16/98

HOUSE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/20/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/20/98

SB 820

(Robinson/Adair) – ONENET. Section 2 modifies language relating to OneNet to delete authorization for state agencies to make certain purchases that are not on a statewide contract but are available from a General Services Administration schedule or contract or are on a GSA schedule at a lesser price. (74 § 85.9E)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 03/04/98

TITLE STRICKEN 03/31/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (100-0) 03/31/98

HOUSE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/21/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/21/98

SB 832

(Robinson/Ervin) – TELEMEDICINE/TECHNOLOGY. Creates a Telemedicine Advisory Council until July 1, 2004, to advise the governor and legislature regarding improvement of public policy relating to telemedicine; includes the Chancellor or his designee as member of the council; states duties of the Council; creates an Office of Technology, to be managed by an executive director appointed by the Governor, to provide leadership and direction for information and communications technology to encourage the development of a technology-literate population and to ensure sufficient access to and efficient delivery of government services; makes the executive director of the office the state’s chief information officer and technology advisor; creates a nine-member Governmental Technology Policy Board as a policy board to oversee the functions of the office; establishes as advisory councils the State Agency Advisory Council, the Education Advisory Council, the Local Government Advisory Council, the Telehealth Advisory Council and the Geographic Information Systems Advisory Council; requires the executive director to submit an annual technology report to the Governor and the Legislature; transfers the Information Services Division of the Office of State Finance to the Office of Technology (74 § 8401 et seq.)

(Helton/Glover) – HEALTH INSURANCE/PROSTATE CANCER. Requires health benefit plans offered by the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board and the State Employee Benefits Council that provide medical and surgical benefits for treatment of prostate cancer and other related conditions to also provide coverage for side effects commonly associated with radical retropubic prostatectomy surgery, including impotence and incontinence, and for other prostate-related conditions; requires the Board to notify insureds regarding the coverage; provides that unless the Board has otherwise contracted with an out-of-state hospital, the Board shall pay for medical services and treatment rendered by an out-of-state hospital at the same level paid to an in-state hospital if the insured employee was referred to the out-of-state hospital by a physician and the out-of-state hospital is the closest hospital to the employee’s residence. (74 §§ 1324, 1373)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (41-4) 03/03/98

TITLE STRICKEN 04/14/98

ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN - HOUSE 04/14/98

FLOOR AMENDMENT 04/14/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (78-16) 04/14/98

HOUSE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/21/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/21/98

SB 901

(Haney/Hamilton) – APPROPRIATIONS. Appropriates to the various educational entities. Section 14 provides for the expenditure of $500,000 for scholarships to the Great Expectations Summer Institutes for Teachers, provides for the establishment of an elementary level Great Expectations Demonstration Project, provides $3.35 million for the Professional Development Institutes in Reading; provides for the expenditure of $1 million on a competitive application basis to the State Vo-Tech Board and to State System institutions for implementing technology training for teachers. Section 15 apportions $280,344 to be expended on a competitive application basis to a State System institution for implementing telecommunications curriculum statewide. Section 16 provides for $25,000 to be expended on a contractual basis to a community education consortium group which is associated with a State System institution. Section 17 provides that certain funds in the Education Leadership Oklahoma Revolving Fund be used to provide program development and evaluation by the Teacher Preparation Commission and curriculum enhancement and monitoring programs for teacher applicants on a contract basis with a State System institution. Section 23 provides for $48,000 to be used to ensure school district participation in the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Sections 38 through 40 appropriate to the Commission for Teacher Preparation.

(Haney/Hamilton) - APPROPRIATIONS. Relates to various health services agencies. Section 17 provides funds for contractual services with the Perinatal Continuing Education Program within the OB/GYN department of the OU College of Medicine; provides funds to be allocated to the OUHSC for health services programs for uninsured or underinsured women and children. Section 19 states intent that certain funds be used to establish the Children First Program and that the Health Department contract with a university-related program for a performance-based evaluation of the program. Section 28 appropriates to the University Hospitals Authority.

BILL PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 02/10/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (92-4) 03/16/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/23/98

GCCA

SB 928

(Haney/Hamilton) - APPROPRIATIONS. Provides budgetary limitations for the University Hospitals.

BILL PASSED - SENATE (45-1) 02/10/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (87-11) 03/16/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/23/98

GCCA

SB 934

(Haney/Hamilton) – APPROPRIATIONS/ASBESTOS ABATEMENT. Section 9 appropriates to the Department of Agriculture and provides for expenditures for contracts for statewide dissemination of intensive financial management technical assistance by Oklahoma State University’s extension service; Section 21 requires the State Regents to cooperate with the Department of Labor to provide information required concerning asbestos abatement.

BILL PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 02/10/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (93-5) 03/16/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/23/98

GCCA

SB 955

(Haney/Hamilton) – STATE REGENTS. This is a shell bill relating to the powers and duties of the State Regents. (70 § 3206)

BILL PASSED - SENATE (43-3) 02/10/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (92-6) 03/17/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/23/98

GCCA

SB 960

(Haney/Hamilton) - APPROPRIATIONS. This is a general appropriations bill. Sections 11 through 13 appropriate to the State Regents; Sections 16 and 17 appropriate to the Physician Manpower Training Commission; Section 20 appropriates to the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST); Section 22 appropriates to the Teacher Preparation Commission; Section 75 appropriates to the University Hospitals Authority.

(Haney/Hamilton) – APPROPRIATIONS/ONENET. Makes supplemental appropriations to various state agencies. Section 5 appropriates $189,000 to the State Regents to reimburse OneNet for providing a telemedicine program for a rural hospital consortium.

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 03/26/98

SB 973 (Haney/Hamilton) – HEALTH INSURANCE. Deletes authority of the Health Care Authority to purchase health care benefits for state and education employees and transfers such authority to the Employee Benefits Council; requires the authority to assist the council in development of the bid process used to secure bids by health care insurers to provide health care coverage to such employees; requires the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board (OSEEGIB) with the assistance and the approval of the Joint Liaison Committee on State and Employee Group Insurance Benefits to design an additional health benefit plan as a preferred provider organization designed plan that would be available as an option for participants by the FY2000 plan year; prohibits the Employee Benefits Council from establishing excess benefit pricing as bidding criteria; authorizes the council to negotiate with an HMO that submits a bid the council determines exceeds industry-claims-expense-trends and the benefit price does not reflect acceptable loss ratios; authorizes the council, if after negotiations the HMO does not revise the bid to lower the benefit price, to reject the bid, restrict enrollment in that HMO or prepare and distribute information in the annual enrollment guide and by other means that communicates to participants that the benefit price exceeds acceptable criteria established by the council; requires all HMOs offering a plan to participants to submit to the council information regarding utilization data and loss ratios; provides for the confidentiality of proprietary information; limits restrictions on enrollment in HMOs; states legislative intent to appropriate $25 million to the board from the Rainy Day Fund, all of which shall be used only for decreasing the monthly premiums of the health plan adopted by the board on Dec. 19, 1997, for the FY’99 plan year, which shall be allocated equally throughout the entire plan year; requires benefit plan contracts with OSEEGIB, HMOs and other third-party insurance vendors to provide for a risk adjustment factor for adverse selection that may occur based on generally accepted actuarial principles; requires the exploration of feasibility of privatizing ownership of the state plan; provides that all monies in excess of the adequate plan reserve amount for the self-insured health and dental plans, life insurance and disability insurance administered by OSEEGIB shall be transferred to a rate adjustment pool fund, with the investment growth to be used to subsidize the premium rates for health plan coverage.

(Herbert/Seikel) – OPEN MEETING/OPEN RECORDS. Adds entities created by public trusts to the definition of "public body" in the Open Meeting Act and the Open Records Act. (25 § 304, 51 § 24A.3)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (46-0) 02/24/98

TITLE STRICKEN 04/15/98

ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN - HOUSE 04/15/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (98-0) 04/15/98

HOUSE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/20/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/20/98

SB 1013

(Rabon/Ervin) – RESIDENTIAL CARE HOME ADMINISTRATOR CERTIFICATION. Modifies requirements for residential care home administrator certification to allow applicants at any time to present an institution of higher education with documentation of prior education and work experience for consideration for possible credit toward certification; authorizes a certified administrator to make a written request to the commissioner of health to be placed in an inactive status for up to five subsequent calendar years and to waive educational requirements during that time. (63 § 1-836)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/13/98

SB 1033

(Monson/Roberts) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Appropriates $50 million from the constitutional reserve fund to the Teachers’ Retirement System (OTRS) to reduce the unfunded actuarial accrued liability of the system; reapportions 2 percent of the natural gas tax currently going to the General Revenue Fund to OTRS; increases from 5 percent to five-sevenths the gross production tax revenue that is required to be apportioned by the Oklahoma Tax Commission; decreases from 21 percent to two-sevenths the amount received from the remaining revenue that is deposited in the General Revenue Fund for direct appropriation by the Legislature; requires that, of the two-sevenths deposited in the General Fund, 33 1/3 percent be apportioned to OTRS for FY’99, 66 2/3 percent for FY’00 and 100 percent for FY’01. (68 §§ 1004, 1004a)

BILL PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 03/02/98

TITLE STRICKEN 04/01/98

ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN - HOUSE 04/01/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (87-8) 04/01/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/09/98

SB 1037

(Monson/Roberts) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Relates to benefit increases for certain public retirement systems; Section 6 states that a system for providing a fiscally sound method to provide a periodic cost-of-living increase in benefits for retired members and beneficiaries of Teachers’ Retirement is a matter of high priority and an issue requiring careful analysis. (70 § 17-116.2C)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (37-0) 03/03/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (88-10) 04/07/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

GCCA

SB 1050

(Dunlap/Askins) – PUBLIC CONSTRUCTION. Increases from $13,500 to $25,000 the value of a contract requiring a bond or irrevocable letter of credit; modifies language relating to requirements for public building construction to include construction management services; modifies notice and filing requirements. (61 §§ 1, 62, 102, 107)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (34-13) 03/09/98

TITLE STRICKEN 04/02/98

ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN - HOUSE 04/02/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (93-6) 04/02/98

HOUSE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/06/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/06/98

SB 1059

(Monson/Seikel) – HEALTH INSURANCE/MENTAL ILLNESS. Requires group health insurance and health benefit plans to include coverage for treatment of adults, adolescents and children with severe mental illness; requires that such benefits be equal to benefits for treatment of and subject to the same preauthorization and utilization review mechanisms and other terms and conditions as all other physical diseases and disorders; provides an exception for policies that provide coverage for a specified disease or other limited benefit coverage and for groups with 50 or fewer employees. (36 § 6060.10)

(Monson/Askins) – HEALTH INSURANCE/BIDDING CRITERIA. Provides that the Health Care Authority may not modify but may only approve or disapprove the selection of benefits made by the Oklahoma State Employees Benefits Council pursuant to the Oklahoma State Employees Benefits Act; requires the council to purchase health care benefits for participants, develop health care plans for participants and develop a standard basic health care benefits package or packages to be offered by health care providers for participants; requires the council to retain as confidential information the initial bid offers, as well as any subsequent bid offers, made by health plans prior to final contract awards as part of the best and final offer negotiations process for the benefit plan; prohibits the council from establishing any biding criteria relating to excessive benefit pricing; requires HMOs offering a plan to participants, beginning Sept. 1, 1998, and each year thereafter, to submit to the council information regarding utilization data and loss ratios on the state plan business; requires that the council retain as confidential any proprietary information submitted by HMOs; requires the council to promulgate rules that establish the type, form and means by which information collected on utilization data and loss ratios will be communicated to participating employers and participants; requires the council and the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board to begin preparation and distribution of information communicating and explaining the plans available for the FY’99 plan year to participating employers and participants; prohibits such information from including any reference to frozen or limited enrollment in any plan; requires the board to design and make available for enrollment during the next enrollment period a health benefit plan for the FY’99 plan year, in addition to the health benefit plan currently offered by the board; requires that the new plan offer the same range of services and scope of benefits contained in the plan that was offered during the 1998 plan year and the premium rates for the new plan be the same as for the 1998 plan year; requires that the plan contain the same plan design elements as the 1998 plan year but permits the price, ratio or level of each element to be adjusted by the board as necessary to meet the required premium levels; provides that the plan design elements specified in the section include in-network and out-of-network prices, co-insurance, deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums and co-pays; authorizes eligible participants for fiscal 1999 to choose as their health care provider any HMO available in their area that submitted a bid to the council during the period; provides for review of expenditure and revenue data to determine whether rates need to be lowered to an actuarially sound level on or before March 1, 1998; expresses legislative intent to appropriate $35.7 million from the Constitutional Reserve Fund for the purpose of subsidizing health insurance plan premium rates.

GOVERNOR ACTION - VETO 02/25/98

VETO PREVAILED - SENATE 02/26/98

SB 1104

(Mickle/Benson) – CAMPUS SAFETY. Relates to "stalking" and "harassment"; authorizes the chief administrative officer of an institution of learning to direct any person to leave the institution who is not a student, officer or employee thereof, who enters the institution without any purpose reasonably connected with any activity conducted at the institution, if the officer determines in good faith that the person substantially interferes with or poses a reasonably foreseeable threat to activities and purposes of the institution, proper maintenance of the institution or the safety of persons lawfully present; authorizes peace officers to seize any weapon when the officer has probable cause to believe it has been used to commit the crime of stalking or harassment, provided an arrest is made, if possible, at the same time; authorizes peace officers to take into custody a person the officer has reasonable cause to believe may have violated such an order or been served such an order. (21 § 1376)

BILL PASSED - SENATE (44-0) 03/11/98

FLOOR AMENDMENT 04/16/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (95-0) 04/16/98

HOUSE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/23/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/23/98.

SB 1137

(Littlefield/Beutler) - ENCYCLOPEDIA OF OKLAHOMA HISTORY. Requires the Oklahoma Historical Society to establish and administer an Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History which would include entries on different institutions, organizations, historic sites, and geographical features that have affected the development of Oklahoma. (53 § 1.4a)

(Dickerson/Askins) – PURCHASING. Requires the state purchasing director to delegate to the using agencies procurement actions from statewide contracts, authoring the using agency to determine the product, service or solution; requires the purchasing director to undertake a pilot project to allow selected state agencies to use state purchase cards for purchases less than $25,000; increases from $2,500 to $25,000 the acquisition or contract amounts exempt from competitive bidding procedures. (74 §§ 85.2, 85.5, 85.7, 85.41, 85.33, 85.39, 85.43)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (39-5) 02/23/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (77-17) 04/08/98

HOUSE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/15/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/15/98

SB 1175

(Muegge/Leist) – ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS/OSU COOP EXTENSION. Modifies the Oklahoma Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) Act; Section 6 requires managing owners and managing operators of a proposed CAFO to provide certification of satisfactory completion of formal education or training in the areas of waste management and odor control; requires that appropriate curricula and course content be developed under the supervision of the Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service.

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (45-1) 03/10/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (93-6) 03/19/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 03/31/98

SB 1183

(Wilkerson/Langmacher) – SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES. Provides that if fewer than fifty of any type of special license plate are issued prior to July 1, 2003, or, for any type of special license plate authorized after July 1, 1998, within five years after first being offered, the Tax Commission shall discontinue issuance of that type of special license plate; recodifies provisions authorizing special license plates, including those for university or college supporters, Heart of the Heartland scholarships, and for Oklahoma City bombing victims and survivors. (47 § 1136)

BILL PASSED - SENATE (43-1) 02/23/98

FLOOR SUBSTITUTE 04/15/98

TITLE STRICKEN 04/15/98

ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN - HOUSE 04/15/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (98-0) 04/15/98

HOUSE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/20/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/20/98

SB 1185

(Long/Toure) – WORKERS’ COMPENSATION. Prohibits discriminatory or retaliatory actions against an employee who has filed a workers’ compensation claim or taken certain related action; provides that an employee’s decision regarding enrollment in an employer’s workplace medical plan shall be made on an election form; outlines content of form.(85 § 5)

BILL PASSED - SENATE (46-1) 03/04/98

TITLE STRICKEN 04/15/98

ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN - HOUSE 04/15/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (51-47) 04/15/

HOUSE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/20/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/20/98

SB 1192

(Morgan/Wells) – OPTOMETRY. Adds low-vision rehabilitation, certain types of laser surgery and cosmetic lid surgery to the definition of the practice of optometry; requires certification by the State Board of Examiners in Optometry. (59 § 581)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 03/16/98.

SB 1198 (Monson/Askins) – HEALTH INSURANCE. Authorizes the State Employees Benefits Council to retain as confidential information the initial bid offers and subsequent bid offers made by health plans prior to final contract awards as a part of the best and final offer negotiation process for the benefit plan; provides that after the bid is awarded, all information contained in the bid shall be open to the public. (74 § 1365)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 03/09/98

FLOOR AMENDMENT 04/08/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (92-0) 04/08/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/20/98

SB 1210

(Robinson/Bastin) – INSURANCE. Defines "mandated health benefit"; requires the state insurance commissioner, health commissioner and administrators of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority and State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board to submit a report on the social and financial impact of any such benefit in any bill affecting an insurance policy to the governor, House speaker and Senate president pro tempore. (63 § 5023)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (42-4) 03/11/98

TITLE STRICKEN 04/07/98

ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN - HOUSE 04/07/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (98-0) 04/07/98

HOUSE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/22/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/22/98

SB 1236

(Muegge/Wells) – VETERINARY COLLEGE. Relates to criminal investigation by the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners; modifies the definition of "School of Veterinary Medicine" to mean "any veterinary college or division of a university or college that offers the degree of doctor of veterinary medicine or its equivalent, which conforms to the standards required for accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association and which is recognized and approved by the Board." (59 § 698.2)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/08/98

SB 1246

(Weedn/Weaver) – TRAVEL/CREDIT CARDS. Makes all state employees subject to the Travel Reimbursement Act; provides that any provision of the statutes that provides for the payment or reimbursement for the travel expenses, costs or fees of state officers and employees or other persons authorized by law to receive reimbursement for travel expenses, or is inconsistent with the provisions of the act, shall be deemed to provide for reimbursement in accordance with the act, unless a contrary intent is explicitly expressed by law; prohibits the travel expenses of any political subdivision or other state entity not subject to the act from exceeding the travel reimbursement rates; removes certain exclusions from provisions of the act; authorizes the director of the Department of Central Services to exempt any single activity or position from compliance if the director determines that such compliance is not economically feasible or if the health and safety of an individual warrants the noncompliance; prohibits any exemption from exceeding one year; authorizes state agencies to enter into contracts and agreements for the payment of conference registration expenses; authorizes payment of such expenses directly to the contracting agency or business establishment; provides for reimbursement for emergency travel by commercial airplane on a first-class basis; provides that reimbursement for a rental automobile used on official business in-state in lieu of a privately owned vehicle shall not exceed the rate provided for the use of a privately owned automobile; provides for reimbursement for in-state airplane travel; requires the legislature and all agencies to submit biannual travel expenditure reports; requires a review of the reports; requires the State Travel Division to establish a uniform credit card system to determine, process, account for, review and audit purchases for food, lodging, transportation, vehicles and other authorized travel expenses; requires that the system be used by all state employees for authorized travel expenses and for purchasing tickets for any authorized mode of transportation; requires that the system be implemented by Jan. 1, 1999, upon the awarding of a contract to a vendor or vendors selected by competitive bid; requires that the system provide that no liability shall inure to the state for fraud, fraudulent practices or lost or stolen cards; makes frequent flyer credits earned by state employees while on official state business the property of the state; authorizes redemption of the credits only for future official travel or as directed by the State Travel Division; specifies requirements for invoices for purchase of commercial airline tickets; repeals sections relating to certain motor vehicles and airplanes. (74 §500.2)

(Gustafson/Pettigrew) – STATE PROPERTY/REDLANDS. Transfers the authority to use certain property in Canadian County from the Wildlife Conservation Commission to Redlands Community College to be used for agricultural and equine educational purposes; transfers adjacent property to the Oklahoma Historical Society. (74 § 129.8)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/15/98

SB 1310

(Fisher/Askins) – CPA REQUIREMENTS. Requires certified public accountant (CPA) applicants, beginning July 1, 2003, to have at least 150 semester hours of college education including a baccalaureate or higher degree conferred by a college or university acceptable to the Accountancy Board from an accredited four-year college or university in the state or any other accredited four-year college or university recognized by the board; requires that a minimum 76 semester hours be earned at the upper-division level; requires that such education requirement be completed prior to submitting an application to the board; requires that the total educational program include an accounting concentration with at least 36 semester hours in accounting courses above principles of accounting or introductory accounting, with at least one course in auditing; requires that the remaining accounting courses be selected from financial accounting, accounting theory, cost/managerial accounting, federal income tax, governmental or not-for-profit accounting, accounting information systems, accounting history and other accounting electives; requires that at least nine semester hours be from among the subjects of economics, statistics, business law, finance, business management, marketing, business communication, management information systems or computer science at the upper-division level; requires that any remaining semester hours be elective at the upper-division level or above. (59 § 15.8)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/02/98

SB 1349

(Williams/Betty Boyd) – SCHOOL TESTING/REMEDIATION. Requires that a nationally normed-referenced test be administered to every third-grade student of the Oklahoma public schools; provides that beginning with the 1999-2000 school year a nationally normed norm-referenced test will be administered with criterion-referenced supplements to students in grades five, eight and eleven; requires the tests to consist of both a norm-referenced and criterion-referenced evaluation component that measure specific skills; provides that the criterion-referenced test in Oklahoma history will be administered to students upon completion of the required instruction at the secondary level; provides that for students graduating from high school, beginning with the 1998-99 graduating class, the results of their eleventh-grade criterion-referenced tests be reported on their final transcripts; provides specifications for remediation;authorizes the State Board of Education, contingent upon availability of funds appropriated by the legislature for the Remediation Assistance Grants, to award grants for remediation assistance programs to school districts, nonprofit organizations, or entities formed by interlocal cooperative agreements; provides that priority consideration will be given to applications from schools that have been declared high challenge schools and that emphasize classes required for high school graduation and college admission; requires that grant funding be spent for instruction-related personnel, equipment, transportation, materials and telecommunications, including but not limited to telecommunication equipment, instruction and other materials; provides that any new law in Sections 2 and 3 shall be effective contingent only upon availability of funds.(70 § 1210.508.1)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (44-0) 03/11/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (93-4) 04/02/98

HOUSE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/22/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/22/98

SB 1350

(Brown/Toure) – FAMILY SAVINGS INITIATIVE. Creates the "Family Savings Initiative Act" for the purpose of establishing individual development accounts to help individuals and families with limited means to acquire the means for economic well-being; requires the Commerce Department to enter into contracts with at least four fiduciary organizations in order to allow every qualified state resident access to one fiduciary organization for the purpose of opening an individual development account; provides requirements for proposals; specifies purposes for which such accounts may be used; provides that accounts may be used for postsecondary educational expenses paid directly to an eligible educational institution. (68 § 2357.33)

BILL PASSED - SENATE (36-11) 03/11/988

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (97-0) 04/16/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/23/98

SB 1355

(Kerr/Bonny) – Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST). Transfers powers and duties for the inventors assistance program from the Department of Commerce to the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST); requires transfer of funds in the Inventors and Entrepreneurs Program Fund to the credit of the OCAST Research Support Revolving Fund; modifies the requirements of the program. (74 § 5064.4)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (48-0) 03/04/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (98-0) 04/01/98

HOUSE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/22/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/22/98

SB 1405

(Fisher/Wells) – TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. Provides that in accordance with SJR 29, boards of regents on behalf of State System institutions may have an ownership interest in a business enterprise commercializing a technology or other intellectual property, when such technology or other intellectual property is the result of research conducted by such institutions or involving the authorized use of facilities, equipment or services of the institutions, subject to certain conditions; provides that the effective date is upon certification of election returns favoring approval of the constitutional amendment proposed in SJR 29. (70 § 3231)

BILL PASSED - SENATE (44-0) 02/24/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (96-3) 03/30/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/06/98

SB 1406

(Morgan/Ostrander) – DIPLOMA WITH DISTINCTION. Permits district boards of education to develop and issue a certificate with distinction to high school students who graduate after successfully completing four units each in English, math, social studies and science, two additional units in technology, humanities or the arts, two units of foreign language and achieve a satisfactory score on all 11th grade criterion-referenced tests; allows applicable vocational classes offered by comprehensive high school vo-tech programs to qualify for technology and math credits; allows advanced placement classes in certain subject areas to be substituted on a course-by-course basis to satisfy the academic units required for a certificate of distinction; prohibits colleges and universities from using a certificate of distinction in their admission standards. (70 § 11-103.2c)

(Ford/Betty Boyd) – OU/OSU TULSA/UCT/ROGERS. Re-creates the University Center at Tulsa which would contract for upper-division and graduate classes with OU, OSU, Northeastern State University and Langston University; creates a Board of Trustees of UCT; dissolves Rogers University and designates the campus in Claremore as Rogers State College. (70 §§ 466l/4665).

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (34-13) 03/10/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (93-6) 04/08/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

SB 1427

(Wilcoxson/Betty Boyd) – ADVANCED PLACEMENT. Requires school districts, contingent on available funding, to implement advanced placement courses in English, math, social studies and science subject to a phasing-in schedule; provides that mentor teachers shall be selected by the principal from the certified teachers at a school. (70 § 1210.701)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (41-5) 03/10/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (99-0) 04/07/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

GCCA

SB 1430

(Henry/Blackburn) – COLLEGE SAVINGS PLAN. Creates the "Oklahoma College Savings Plan Act;" creates a seven-member board of trustees to administer the program; requires the board to determine financial institutions to act as depositories and managers of Oklahoma college savings plan accounts; makes the state treasurer the program manager; allows an account to be opened by any person who desires to save to pay for qualified higher education expenses; provides for withdrawals; requires reports to the legislature and the governor by February 1 of each year summarizing the board’s findings and recommendations concerning the program; provides that interest from an account shall be exempt from taxable income until the tax year in which such interest is withdrawn. (70 §§ 3970.1/3970.12)

SJR 16 (Monson/Laura Boyd) – VIOLENCE PREVENTION. Re-creates the Oklahoma Council on Violence Prevention until Jan. 1, 2003. The Chancellor of Higher Education is included in the membership of the Council.

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 02/23/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (87-0) 04/02/98

HOUSE AMENDMENTS ADOPTED - SENATE 04/22/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE 04/22/98

(43 AYE / 0 NAY / 0 ABSENT / 5 EXCUSED / 0 NOT VOTING)

TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 04/23/98

SJR 19

(Henry/Weaver) – PAYROLL/EMPLOYEE REPORTS. Directs the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission and the Oklahoma Tax Commission to study requirements imposed on employers to report payroll and other employee information to federal and state agencies and to make recommendations for consolidating these reporting requirements.

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/09/98

SJR 25

(Fisher/Wells) – TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. This is a proposed constitutional amendment providing that use of public facilities at State System institutions in connection with a project involving the research or development of a technology or other intellectual property, the results of which have potential economic value for a private enterprise involved in the project with the institution, shall be considered to be a public purpose for purposes of collection of tax revenues.

BILL PASSED - SENATE (37-0) 03/12/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (92-3) 04/01/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/09/98

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS

SCR 40 (Taylor/Benson) – GEORGE NIGH. Praises the career of George Nigh as President of the University of Central Oklahoma.

ADOPTED - SENATE 02/04/98

HOUSE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 02/05/98

SCR 49 (Morgan/Wells) – A&M COLLEGES/REVENUE BONDS. Authorizes the Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges to issue $48 million in revenue bonds for renovating and refurbishing existing athletic facilities and constructing certain new athletic facilities on the OSU campus in Stillwater and to refund certain existing OSU Athletic Department System obligations.

TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 03/10/98

SENATE RESOLUTIONS

SR 49

(Herbert) – H. B. ATKINSON. Praises the career of H. B. Atkinson, who was a co-founder of Midwest City and Rose State College.

TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 02/03/98

SR 52

(Snyder) – HERBERT HAUPTMAN. Praises the accomplishments of Herbert H Hauptman, who won the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1985; welcomes him to the University of Central Oklahoma and the state.

TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 02/16/98

SR 56

(Morgan) – OSU COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. Congratulates the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine on its 50th anniversary; declares Feb. 23 through March 2, 1998, as Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine Week.

TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 02/24/98

HOUSE BILLS

HB 1162 (Leist/Shurden) – ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. Requires the State Department of Agriculture to develop and expand new markets and identify the needs of government entities (including institutions and universities) for Oklahoma-made and Oklahoma-grown agricultural products. (2 § 2-11c, 74 § 85.5)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/08/98

HB 1822

(Askins/Rozell) – PURCHASING. Provides that a "sole source contract" means for state agencies that are not subject to the central purchasing provisions "a contract for a particular acquisition which, by the contract specifications needed by an agency, restricts the contract to one bidder or to one brand name"; Section 8 of the bill provides that certain contracts and acquisitions by State System institutions, the State Regents, and University Centers shall not be included within the purview of the Central Purchasing, but exempt from Purchasing Division processing [Note: The relationship between Section 8 of the bill and the exemptions in 74 § 85.3 is uncertain]; requires agencies to submit a copy of adopted internal purchasing rules or procedures to the State Auditor and Inspector at the time they are adopted by the adopting authority; requires each chief administrative officer of an agency to submit within 10 days after a legislative session commences a report listing all contracts equal to or greater than $2,500 but not in excess of $25,000; deletes section defining "sole source contract"; prohibits state agencies from engaging in contracts for temporary personnel services with private companies; provides certain exceptions. (74 §§ 85.2, 85.12, 85.39, 85.43, 89)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (85-13) 03/04/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (35-11) 03/31/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/21/98

GCCA

HB 2219

(Askins/Harrison) – MINORITY TEACHER RECRUITMENT/TEACHERPREPARATION. Extends the sunset date to 2004 for several entities including the Minority Teacher Recruitment Advisory Committee; removes the Teacher Preparation Commission, the State Data Processing and Telecommunications Advisory Committee and the Interdisciplinary Council on the Prevention of Juvenile Sex Offenses from the list. (74 § 3905)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (97-0) 02/25/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 03/30/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

HB 2228

(Askins/Harrison) – DATA PROCESSING/TELECOMMUNICATIONS. Modifies sections relating to the State Data Processing and Telecommunications Advisory Committee; deletes the chair of the State Data Processing and Telecommunications Advisory Committee from officials to whom state agencies must submit proposals for computer equipment acquisitions for review; deletes language requiring the Office of State Finance to seek the advice of the committee in developing, operating and maintaining the Oklahoma Government Telecommunications Network; repeals a section relating to the State Data Processing and Telecommunications Advisory Committee. (62 § 41.5e)

(Askins/Harrison) – JUVENILE SEX OFFENDERS. Repeals sections relating to the Interdisciplinary Council on the Prevention of Juvenile Sex Offenses; included in the membership of the Council are the Dean of the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and the Dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine of Oklahoma State University. (10 § 1507.28)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/01/98

HB 2255

(Kirby/Helton) – VIETNAM VETERANS DAY. Designates the third Thursday of March each year as "Vietnam Veterans Day"; requests the Governor to urge all state agencies to fly the United States flag at half-staff. (25 § 90.11)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 03/11/98

HB 2277

(Matlock/Muegge) – THISTLE ERADICATION/OSU EXTENSION. Adds specific counties to locations where thistles are deemed a nuisance; requires the designated OSU extension agent for a particular county or district, upon request of the conservation district, to inspect the type of thistle infestation, assess the nature and extent of the thistle infestation on the property, and determine the most appropriate thistle eradication method available. (2 § 3-220)

(Roberts/Monson) – LIFE INSURANCE. Provides an exemption from the Records Management Act for confidential health, life, disability and dental claims and related files of the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Program; requires that benefit plan contracts with the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board, HMOs and other third-party insurance vendors provide for a risk adjustment factor for adverse selection; requires the creation of a payment rate review task force on all payments made to providers of medical care by the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board; requires a report on the issues affecting health care delivery to state and education employees. (74 § 1306)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (97-0) 03/03/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 04/01/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/14/98

HB 2293 (Leist/Muegge) – POULTRY WASTE APPLICATORS/OSU. Section 10 authorizes the Board of Agriculture to set rules for the Oklahoma Poultry Waste Applicators Licensing Act; requires license applicants to attend educational courses on poultry waste management and odor control; requires appropriate curricula and course content to be developed by or under the supervision of OSU through the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service (OCES). (2 § 10-105)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (98-0) 02/24/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 04/01/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/14/98

HB 2313

(Eddins/Cain) – HEALTH INSURANCE/DENTAL CARE. Requires health benefit plans that provide hospitalization benefit plans to provide coverage for anesthesia expenses, hospital and ambulatory surgical center expenses and physician expenses associated with any medically necessary dental procedure when provided to a covered person who is severely disabled or a minor under age nine who has a medical or emotional condition that requires hospitalization or general anesthesia for dental care; allows such plans to require prior authorization for either inpatient or outpatient hospitalization for dental care in the same manner that prior authorization is required for hospitalization for other covered diseases or conditions; permits such plans to be subject to the same annual deductibles, co-payments or coinsurance limits as established for all other covered benefits under the plan. (36 § 6060.6)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/08/98

HB 2326

(Dunegan/Mickle) – ANNUITY CONTRACTS. Provides that any employee for whom an annuity contract, shares of a regulated investment company or face amount investment annuity certificate has been purchased by an employer may maintain the existing annuity, custodial amount or face amount investment annuity certificate with the original vendor notwithstanding the selection of a different vendor by the employer for similar purchases occurring after the initial purchase of those assets. (70 § 6-101.1)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (96-2) 02/25/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 04/01/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/14/98

HB 2361

(Ross/Horner) – TULSA STATE UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM/ROGERS STATE COLLEGE. Creates the Tulsa State University Consortium to draw upon the educational resources of existing colleges and universities to provide upper division and graduate courses and programs as needed; prohibits the consortium from awarding its own degrees; establishes the Board of Trustees of Tulsa State University Consortium; authorizes the trustees to contract with any accredited college or university for courses and programs of study approved by the regents, including Langston University, the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University and Northeastern State University; creates Rogers State College in Claremore, as a four-year institution; dissolves the Board of Regents of Rogers University, transferring assets to the Board of Trustees of Tulsa State University Consortium and to the Board of Regents of Rogers State College; states Legislative intent that the functions and programs of the Consortium be conducted so as to cooperate with Langston University in its operation of the Langston Urban Center Program and not to offer any programs that would duplicate those offered by the Langston Urban Center Programs; repeals certain statutes relating to Rogers University. (70 §§ 4661/4670)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (68-28) 02/25/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (37-7) 03/31/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/22/98

HB 2363

(Ross/Hendrick) – JOB TRAINING. Provides for a "Redevelopment Zone Incentive Act;" requires a business entity in order to qualify for certification to make available to employees a job training program; authorizes the entity to offer a job training program in conjunction with a vo-tech school or a State System institution.

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (95-4) 02/25/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (45-1) 04/13/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/20/98

HB 2399

(Roach/Ford) – TULSA STATE UNIVERSITY. Creates Tulsa State University as a regional university; provides for a seven-member board of regents. (70 § 4653)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (76-20) 02/25/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (44-3) 03/31/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

HB 2405

(Toure/Morgan) – LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS. Relates to the State Architectural Act; modifies definitions; re-creates the Board of Governors of the Licensed Architects and Landscape Architects until July 1, 2004; modifies membership to require that the two licensed landscape architects be actively engaged in the practice of landscape architecture or teaching professors of landscape architecture; requires that the professional members be appointed by the Governor from a list of nominees submitted by their respective state professional societies; requires a person applying to the Board for initial registration to submit satisfactory evidence that the persons holds an accredited professional degree in architecture or has completed equivalent education. (59 §§ 46.4, 46.8)

(Askins/Hobson) – CREDIT CARD AGREEMENTS. Section 7 authorizes state agencies to enter into agreements with the State Treasurer to participate in credit card processing agreements and to pay the credit card vendor directly for any fees owed on transactions associated with that agency. (62 § 71)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/09/98

HB 2500

(Roberts/Monson) – TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Provides a $5,000 income tax exemption for the death benefit for beneficiaries of various retirement systems including the Teachers’ Retirement System (OTRS). (68 § 2358)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (97-1) 03/03/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (46-0) 03/30/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

GCCA

HB 2531

(Mitchell/Leftwich) – HEALTH INSURANCE. This is a shell bill clarifying language relating to the membership of the State Employees Benefits Council.

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (97-3) 03/11/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (40-0) 04/06/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

HB 2532

(Mitchell/Dunlap) – PRIVATIZATION OF STATE FUNCTIONS. Enacts the "Oklahoma Privatization of State Functions Act;" requires state agencies to allow their employees to submit proposals for improving agency operations, efficiency or organization of the agency before contracting to privatize a function, program, service, unit or division; requires notification to employees, the Governor’s office and the director of state finance of intent to privatize; provides for solicitation of bids; prohibits contracting with persons who have been convicted of certain crimes. (74 §§ 595.1/595.7)

(Bastin/Herbert) – REAL ESTATE COURSES. Modifies instruction requirement for licensure of real estate licensees; Section 11 requires a certified transcript from an institution of higher education, accredited by the State Regents or the corresponding accrediting agency of another state, certifying to the successful completion of certain real estate courses as a postlicense requirement. (59 § 858-304)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/07/98.

HB 2566 (Laura Boyd/Monson) – LEAVE SHARING. Provides that a state employee donating sick leave may donate any amount of unused sick leave the employee has retained at the time of termination of the employee’s employment with the state. (74 § 840-2.23)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (100-1) 02/18/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (33-10) 04/06/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/20/98

HB 2568

(Laura Boyd/Monson) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT/GARNISHMENT. Provides that for purposes of the various state retirement systems, benefit payments shall not be subject to attachment or garnishment, with the exception of qualified domestic orders; outlines requirements for such orders. (70 § 17-109)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (100-0) 02/17/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (46-0) 03/31/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

GCCA

HB 2607

(Rice/Easley) – HOLIDAYS. Expands the list of days designated as state holidays to include the Monday before Christmas if Christmas is on a Tuesday or the Friday after Christmas if Christmas is on a Thursday; authorizes the governor, if the President declares as a holiday any day other than those listed as state holiday, to issue an executive order declaring such day a state holiday. (25 § 82.1)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/02/98

HB 2638

(Bonny/Mickle) – JOB TRAINING. Creates the Oklahoma Human Resources Investment Council to oversee job training programs; membership of the council includes the Chancellor. (74 § 9001)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (86-11) 03/04/98

TITLE STRICKEN 04/15/98

ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN - SENATE 04/15/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 04/15/98

SENATE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/21/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/21/98

HB 2651

(Turner/Wilkerson) – TECHNOLOGY. Defines technology as applied knowledge; provides that, when related to expenditure of public funds by educational and governmental entities the term will include, but not be limited to, information technology, telecommunications technology and implemental technology, and specifies examples of each. (70 § 1-107.1)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/09/98

HB 2668

(Roberts/Monson) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. This is a shell bill with a stricken title relating to OTRS. (70 § 17-120)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (61-34) 02/24/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 03/30/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

GCCA

HB 2693

(Cox/Leftwich) – SOLE SOURCE CONTRACTS. Requires that sole-source contractors to state agencies meet the same qualifications as agency personnel who would otherwise have performed the contracted services, and provides that no agency expend funds for a sole-source contract for performance of services in excess of 90 days unless the agency can demonstrate to the state purchasing director that the services being performed under the contract are so unique that only the selected vendor is capable of executing the duties and responsibilities otherwise imposed upon the agency. (74 § 89)

(Hamilton/Rozell) – STATE AGENCY REFORM. This is a shell bill enacting the "State Agency Reform and Improvement Act."

TITLE STRICKEN 02/26/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (89-4) 02/26/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 03/31/98

SENATE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/22/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/22/98

HB 2792

(Fields/Long) – UNEMPLOYMENT. Modifies the definition of "taxable wages" for purposes of the Oklahoma Employment Security Act of 1980; modifies the maximum benefit amount computation to provide for increases in the applicable percentage determined by the conditional factor; modifies conditions constituting good cause for voluntarily leaving work to include when a physician found that it was medically necessary for a claimant to stop working or change occupations due to diagnosis or treatment of medically verifiable illness or medical condition of the claimant or the minor child of the claimant and when the spouse of the claimant was transferred or obtained employment in another city or state and the family is required to move to that location and the job is more than 50 miles from the prior work location of the claimant; adds language defining what shall constitute misconduct for purposes of benefit disqualification; exempts from an employer’s benefit wage calculations any wages paid to an employee or former employee who was discharged from employment for unsatisfactory performance within 45 days from the first day a new employee began work; provides for a 50-percent reduction in employers’ contribution rates; requires that employers with a 5.5-percent-earned rate be reduced to 5.4 percent and those whose earned rate is 0.1 percent be reduced to 0 percent; makes such rate reductions ineffective if the amount of money in the unemployment trust fund falls below the level of the high cost multiple of 1.25; provides that monies credited to the account of this state in the Unemployment Trust Fund by the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury shall be used solely for administration of the Unemployment Compensation Program in this state. (40 § 1-223)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (96-0) 03/12/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (44-0) 04/14/98

SENATE AMENDMENTS ADOPTED - HOUSE 04/21/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE 04/21/98

(98 AYE / 1 NAY / 0 ABSENT / 2 EXCUSED / 0 NOT VOTING)

SIGNED & TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR 04/22/98

HB 2802

(Ostrander/Rabon) – REPORTS. Deletes the requirement that certain reports be filed with the governor, the Senate president pro tempore and the House speaker; modifies requirements for annual reports and recommendations to be submitted by certain public entities; Section 16 requires that when a governing body of a public agency declares an emergency and does not comply with the provisions of the Public Competitive Bidding Act the reasons for not complying must be entered into the minutes, a copy of which must be submitted to the State Construction Administrator of the Department of Central Services who shall compile an annual report detailing all emergencies declared and submit the report to the Governor and the Legislature; Section 23 deletes the requirement that each teacher education institution provide the Office of Accountability an annual report regarding participation in the Alternative Placement Program; Section 25 changes the State Regents’ biennial report to an annual report; Section 26 deletes the requirement that the OU Board of Regents file a property inventory report; Section 27 deletes the requirement that the Board of Regents for the A&M Colleges file a property inventory report with the Governor and the Secretary of State; Section 29 requires agencies, whether or not said agencies are subject to the Central Purchasing Act, to submit a list of certain contracts to the Department of Central Services within 10 days after the commencement of the legislative session; requires Central Services to compile a report and submit it to the Legislature; Section 31 deletes the requirement for a certain report concerning the use of recycled products; Section 32 deletes the requirement for a report outlining certain usage of postal services by state agencies; Section 37 requires every state agency including all higher education institutions to submit annually a list of its state publications to the Publications Clearinghouse.

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (98-0) 03/03/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 04/15/98

SENATE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/22/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/22/98

HB 2822

(Benson/Helton) – HOLIDAYS. Designates the third Monday in November of each year as "Oklahoma Native American Day"; requests that teachers and students observe the day with appropriate activities. (25 § 90.11)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/01/98

HB 2823

(Leist/Shurden) – AGRICULTURE COOPS. Creates a 15-member Task Force on Agriculture Cooperatives to develop public policy recommendations relating to product development and marketing oriented agricultural cooperatives; includes in the membership two members who are representatives of a comprehensive university in this state. (2 § 3030)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/02/98

HB 2837

(Seikel/Cain) – CHILD CARE FACILITY. Provides that an owner or operator of a child care facility may inquire as to whether a person actively being considered for employment in a child care facility, as a CASA volunteer, or as a contractor with the Human Services Department or Office of Juvenile Affairs is listed on the registry of perpetrators of child sexual abuse. (10 § 7111.1)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (96-0)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (43-0) 04/01/98

SENATE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/23/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/23/98

HB 2855

(Steidley/Monson) – REDUCTION IN FORCE. Relates to purchase of retirement credit in state retirement systems; provides that the appointing authority of an agency which has an approved reduction-in-force plan may request the administrator of the Office of Personnel Management to appoint an interagency advisory task force to assist in implementing the reduction-in-force; provides that employees separated from state service as a result of a reduction-in-force shall be eligible for health insurance and other insurance products, including life insurance for the employee and dependents, offered to state employees through the State Employees Benefits Council for an additional 18 months in addition to the period provided by federal law, provided the employee did not allow coverage to lapse; requires that part-time employees shall have been compensated for at least 1,000 hours during the previous 12 months to be eligible for severance benefits; modifies calculation of "voluntary out" benefits; permits members of OTRS with 10 or more years of service whose positions are terminated and who are within three years of normal retirement to purchase retirement credit. (74 § 840-2.27C)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (98-0) 03/03/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (42-4) 04/13/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/20/98

HB 2860

(Steidley/Leftwich) – EMPLOYEE INFORMATION. Allows a state agency to disclose information regarding a current or former employee’s job performance to another state agency which is a prospective employer of the current or former employee without the employee’s consent.

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

GCCA

HB 2863

(Bonny/Robinson) – TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. Enacts the "Oklahoma Technology Transfer Act of 1998"; empowers the State Regents to establish a uniform policy for technology transfer; authorizes the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) to develop a technology business financing program to assist qualified Oklahoma companies to commercialize new products and processes; increases exemption of royalty payments for technology transfer, from 10 percent to not to exceed 20 percent of the amount of gross proceeds received by a transferor company as a result of the technology transfer; extends exemption from 10 to 15 years; increases the cap on required capitalization from $250,000 to $500,000. (70 § 3206)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (95-2) 02/23/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (46-0) 03/30/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/14/98

HB 2868

(Ervin/Roberts) – TELEHEALTH. Creates the "Oklahoma Telehealth Act" for the purpose of providing for the continued statewide development and implantation of a system for the delivery of medical and other health care services through the statewide telecommunications system; creates a 13-member council; provides that the entity responsible for the administration and operations of the statewide telecommunications system shall appoint a liaison to the council and shall provide administrative and staff support for the council. (63 § 1-2701)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (82-16) 03/09/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (43-0) 04/06/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

GCCA

HB 2889

(Staggs/Hendrick) – SCHOOL TESTING/READING PROFICIENCY. Requires driver license or permit applicants under age 18 to successfully demonstrate a satisfactory reading ability at the eighth-grade reading level by successfully completing a reading proficiency test; provides for administration of an alternative test for students who fail to pass a criterion-reference test; provides that alternative tests shall be offered by testing sites which shall include the public schools and may include any of the following which chose to participate, area vo-tech school districts, regional education service centers, colleges, accredited private schools and other sites approved by the State Department of Education; provides that the first exam is free, but testing sites may assess a $25 fee for each subsequent test. (70 § 1210.515)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (68-29) 03/02/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (46-0) 04/13/98

SIGNED & RETURNED TO HOUSE 04/14/98

SENATE AMENDMENTS - READ 04/14/98

HB 2894

(Weaver/Mickle) – TRUST INSTITUTIONS. Creates the "Multistate Trust Institutions Act"; provides that certain activities, including acting as trustee by a higher education institution or a university system, including affiliated foundations, with respect to endowment funds, do not require a charter. (6 § 1706)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/13/98

HB 2897

(Staggs/Williams) – SCHOOL TESTING/EDUCATIONAL INDICATORS. Requires the State Board of Education to develop criterion-referenced tests, with norm-referenced components in reading and mathematics, to be administered to students in grades five, eight and 11; requires field testing of tests for the third grade; requires tests to gauge mastery of mathematics, science, reading and writing of English, social studies, culture and arts; requires that the test administered in the 11th grade shall indicate competencies for the 12th grade level; requires that a portion of the State Testing Program consists of a criterion-referenced test in Oklahoma history; provides that students who do not perform satisfactorily on such tests shall be provided opportunities for remediation and shall retake the tests; requires that test results be included in the summary report of the Oklahoma Educational Indicators Program; designates performance levels as the Oklahoma Performance Index; requires the board to implement a program of recognition and incentive for school sites which achieve significant academic gain or performance on such tests; repeals section relating to the School Testing Program. (70 §§ 1210.507A, 1210.541, 1210.508)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (94-0) 02/26/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (38-9) 04/13/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/20/98

GCCA

HB 2909

(Wells/Morgan) – PUBLIC CONSTRUCTION/REUSABLE INVENTORY. Increases from $7,500 to $12,500 the value of a public construction contract requiring competitive bidding; increases from $13,500 to $15,000 the limit on the value of a contract for which surety is not required; prohibits the splitting of contracts exceeding $12,500 in order to avoid competitive bidding requirements; increases from $100 to $500 the monetary limit required for certain reusable inventory of The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education, the University Hospitals and the Department of Central Services.

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (78-18) 03/05/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 03/30/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

GCCA

HB 2914

(Dunegan/Mickle) – FIRE ANT RESEARCH/OSU. Creates a nine-member Fire Ant Research and Management Advisory Committee, one member of which would be a university faculty member experienced in entomology who would be appointed by the Dean of the Division of Agriculture Sciences and Natural Resources of OSU; makes the committee an advisory body to the State Board of Agriculture; requires the Agriculture Department to contract with OSU to conduct fire ant basic research. (2 § 3-2)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/09/98

HB 2934

(Blackburn/Henry) – COLLEGE SAVINGS PLAN/TUITION TRUST. Creates the "Oklahoma College Savings Plan Act;" creates a seven-member board of trustees to administer the program; requires the board to recommend financial institutions to act as depositories and managers of Oklahoma college savings plan accounts; requires the State Regents to develop and implement the program and to select financial institutions to act as depositories and managers; outlines responsibilities of program managers; allows an account to be opened by any person who desires to save to pay for qualified higher education expenses; provides for withdrawals; provides for 10-percent penalty for non-qualified withdrawals; requires annual reports to the governor and the legislature; exempts interest received from an account from taxation as income until the taxable year that such interest is withdrawn from an account; provides that the State Regents shall implement the Oklahoma Tuition Trust Act no later than July 1, 1999. (70 §§ 3970.1/3970.11)

(Collins/Weedn) – RECYCLING. Moves up to Nov. 1 of each year the date by which state agencies must report to the Director of Central Services concerning agency recycling efforts. (74 § 85.55).

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/16/98

HB 2963

(Glover/Morgan) – ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES. Clarifies procedures for disqualification of hearing examiners or agency members from individual proceedings to require that the issue be determined by the administrative head of the agency or, if it affects a member of the agency, by the remaining members of the agency. (75 § 316)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/07/98

HB 3010 (Hamilton/Haney) – OKLAHOMA CENTER FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (OCAST). This is a shell appropriation bill; Section 2 appropriates to OCAST.

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (91-6) 02/04/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 02/23/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/09/98

GCCA

HB 3011

(Hamilton/Haney) – APPROPRIATIONS. Establishes budgetary limitations for the Department of Commerce; Section 8 designates an allocation to accomplish contractual responsibilities with Southeastern Oklahoma State University for its statewide Small Business Development Centers Network.

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (90-6) 02/04/9

BILL PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 02/23/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/09/98

GCCA

HB 3012

(Hamilton/Haney) – OKLAHOMA CENTER FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (OCAST). This is a shell bill providing for duties and compensation of employees of OCAST.

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (91-5) 02/04/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 02/23/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/09/98

GCCA

HB 3039

(Hamilton/Haney) – APPROPRIATIONS/STATE REGENTS/PHYSICIAN MANPOWER. This is a shell appropriations bill for the State Regents and the Physician Manpower Training Commission.

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (78-20) 02/05/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 02/23/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/09/98

GCCA

HB 3040

(Hamilton/Haney) – APPROPRIATIONS/INSTITUTIONS. This is a shell bill appropriating to the State Regents for allocation to the institutions.

B 3050 (Hamilton/Haney) – APPROPRIATIONS. This is a general appropriations bill for state government, which guarantees all agencies a "base" budget for the coming fiscal year (FY’99). The amount appropriated in the bill for higher education is $693.3 million, the same level that was appropriated for FY'98. The bill includes appropriations for the State Regents (Section 11 - $650,835,174 for the education and general operating budgets; Section 12 - $3,917,787 for operation of the administrative offices; Section 13 - $38,546,430 from the Special Cash Fund for the education and general operating budgets and for other programs); the Physician Manpower Training Commission (Section 16 - $5,090,245 from the General Revenue Fund; Section 17 - $400,000 from the Special Cash Fund); OCAST (Section 20 - $9,050,272); the Teacher Preparation Commission (Section 21 - $624,510 and Section 22 – 905,737); and the University Hospitals Authority (Section 75 - $26,576,556 from the General Revenue Fund).

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/13/98

HB 3058

(Hamilton/Haney) – BUDGET AND PROGRAM OVERSIGHT. Removes the oversight authority of the Joint Legislative Committee on Budget and Program Oversight on executive branch compliance with the legislative intent of appropriation measures.

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (96-4) 02/09/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 02/23/9

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/09/98

GCCA

HB 3070

(Hamilton/Haney) – SOLE SOURCE CONTRACTS. This is a shell bill relating to sole source and professional service contracts. (74 § 85.42)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (92-4) 02/26/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 04/13/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/20/98

GCCA

HB 3086

(Braddock/Morgan) – INTERNAL AUDITS. Directs boards of regents of State System institutions to require a quality control review of the internal audit function for each institution under its governance; deletes the requirement for the state auditor and inspector to perform quality control reviews of such internal audit functions but requires a copy of the report on the quality control review to be filed with the auditor and inspector. (74 § 213)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 03/30/98

HB 3120

(Begley/Roberts) – TECHNOLOGY. This is a shell bill creating the "Technology in the Classroom Act." (70 § 1210.901)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (99-1) 03/10/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (43-1) 03/31/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

GCCA

HB 3144

(Paulk/Helton) – CHILD CARE/SEX OFFENDERS. Permits a local law enforcement agency to photograph an offender registered with the Corrections Department when such person returns the annual address verification form to the local law enforcement agency; allows copying of the file of sex offender registrations; provides for language on notice sent to any public or private elementary school or child care facility licensed by the state; provides requirements for dealing with a sexually violent predator. (57 § 582)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (96-0) 03/02/98

ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN - SENATE 03/23/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 04/15/98

SENATE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/21/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/21/98

HB 3160

(Satterfield/Morgan) – PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS/EDUCATIONAL INCENTIVE. Section 9 requires that an educational incentive for the completion of degrees of higher education be paid to commissioned Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers; specifies amounts to be paid monthly. (47 § 2-130.2)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (95-0) 02/26/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (46-0) 04/07/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

GCCA

HB 3169

(Betty Boyd/Williams) – GENETIC NONDISCRIMINATION. Creates the "Genetic Nondiscrimination Act"; prohibits certain actions by insurers for the purpose of determining eligibility of an individual for any insurance coverage, establishing premiums, limiting coverage, renewing coverage, terminating coverage or any other underwriting decision in connection with the offer, sale or renewal or continuation of a policy for a life or accident and health insurance policy, except to the extent and in the same fashion as an insurer limits coverage or increases premiums for loss caused or contributed to by other medical conditions presenting an increased degree of risk. (36 § 3614.1)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (97-0) 03/09/988

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (36-0) 03/30/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/14/98

HB 3171

(Hopper Smith/Long) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Requires the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Plan, health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and every medical group which contracts with HMOs to reimburse all clean claims from an enrollee, an assignee or a health care provider within 60 days after receipt of the claim; requires the insurer, if a claim or a portion of a claim is contested or denied by the insurer, to notify the enrollee, assignee or provider in writing within 45 days after receipt of the claim; requires that written notice specify and explain the portion of a claim that is causing a delay in processing; requires that the uncontested portion of the claim be paid within 60 days after receipt of the claim; makes overdue payments subject to simple interest at the rate of 10 percent per year; makes the health insurance carrier, HMO or other managed care entity for a health care plan liable for damages for harm to an insured or enrollee proximately caused by the health care treatment decisions made by its employees, gatekeepers, agents, ostensible agents or representatives who are acting in its behalf and over whom it has the right to exercise influence or control or has actually exercised influence or control which result in the failure to exercise ordinary care. (63 § 2514)

BILL PASSED – HOUSE (99-0) 02/19/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (38-5) 04/07/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/21/98

HB 3186

(Blackburn/Williams) – PARTNERSHIP SCHOOLS. Relates to negotiated contract provisions of educational improvement plans; creates the "Oklahoma Partnership Schools Act"; states purpose of act; allows a public school, municipality, higher education institution, vo-tech institution, person or nonprofit organization to contract with a sponsor to establish a partnership school; permits sponsorship of a partnership school by either a district board of education or, in districts with an average daily membership of at least 30,000, a local board of education, municipality, vo-tech institution, higher education institution or the State Board of Education. (70 § 3-130 et seq.)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (96-0) 03/03/98

FLOOR SUBSTITUTE 04/15/98

TITLE STRICKEN 04/15/98

ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN - SENATE 04/15/98

FLOOR AMENDMENT 04/15/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (37-5) 04/15/98

SENATE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/22/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/22/98

HB 3189

(Gray/Leftwich) – ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES. Modifies definitions used in the Administrative Procedures Act; increases the time allowed for the governor to approve a preemptive rule from 14 calendar days to 28 calendar days; requires that the governor’s approval and approved preemptive or emergency rules be retained as official records by the Office of Administrative Rules; extends the time allowed for publication of the Administrative Code from July 31 of each year to August 15 of each year; requires agencies, by Dec. 31, 2002, to maintain and index all orders that agency intends to rely upon as precedent; provides that, after that date, an order shall not be relied upon as a precedent by an agency to the detriment of any person until it has been made available for public inspection and indexed; requires agencies, within 10 days after adoption of a permanent rule, to file one copy with the Governor and two copies with the House speaker and Senate president pro tempore all such new rules or amendments, revisions or revocations to an existing rule proposed by an agency and the agency rule report; requires that the text of adopted rules be submitted to the House speaker and Senate president pro tempore, as well as the Governor; permits agencies with more than 100 pages of rules in the Oklahoma Administrative Code that are unable to meet the Dec. 31, 1998, deadline for review of regulations to have until Dec. 31, 2000, if the agency develops, files and publishes a schedule for compliance; requires each agency to file by Dec. 31, 2000, a report summarizing the actions taken to comply with the regulation review. (75 § 250.3)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (99-0) 03/09/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (42-3) 04/06/98

SENATE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/22/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/22/98

HB 3213

(Paulk/Horner) – SECTION 13 FUNDS/SMOKE DETECTORS FOR DEAF. Sections 28, 29 and 36 of the bill update references to OSU and Langston in sections of the Statutes relating to Section 13 lands; Section 37 changes the words "hearing impaired" to "deaf or hard-of-hearing" in a section of the Statutes that requires any school or college that provides housing to deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to make a visual warning smoke detector available for each such individual’s use. (74 § 324.11b)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (97-0) 03/05/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (43-0) 03/31/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/09/98

HB 3226

(Benson/Taylor) – STATE AIRCRAFT. Prohibits the use of state aircraft for political purposes to a place to perform a service for which the person or an immediate family member receives compensation, to an event where others are charged an admission fee or donation, except where the charge is for charitable purposes or the fee is a customary charge; requires the Office of State Finance to develop travel log forms and procedures; specifies information to be included in the travel use log. (74 § 500.6A)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (99-0) 03/12/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 04/01/98

SENATE AMENDMENTS - PENDING 04/02/98

HB 3237

(Ingmire/Morgan) – TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. States legislative intent that the State System institutions provide funding for the recruitment and hiring of "research stars" in areas of the greatest economic and scholastic promise. (70 § 4710)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (97-0) 03/10/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (44-0) 04/06/98

SENATE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/08/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/08/98

HB 3241

(Ferguson/Gustafson) – EMPLOYEE OATHS. Requires the oath or affirmation subscribed to by every state employee to be filed with the personnel officer of the state entity employing the state employee. (51 § 36.3)

GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/08/98

HB 3244

(Staggs/Robinson) – SPEECH PATHOLOGY. Modifies the education requirements for licensing under the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Licensing Act; authorizes the Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology to establish continuing education requirements as a condition for the renewal of licensure; requires that educational programs meet or exceed prevailing national standards. (59 § 1605)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (79-18) 03/11/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (44-0) 04/07/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

HB 3284

(Leist/Shurden) – ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. Creates the nine-member Brownfields Economic Development Incentives Council until Dec. 31, 2000, to explore funding strategies and financial incentives to facilitate the use of the Oklahoma Brownfields Voluntary Redevelopment Act; includes in council membership a faculty member from "an institution of higher learning of university status" who "shall be experienced in matters of scientific knowledge in matters of pollution control and evaluation;" authorizes the council to make recommendations on any issue of significance to the redevelopment of Brownfields within the state and to make reports and recommendations to the legislature and governor. (27A § 2-15-111)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (98-0) 02/24/98T

BILL PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 04/13/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/20/98

HB 3287

(Perry/Robinson) – ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES. Establishes until Feb. 1, 1999, a pilot program for use of digital signatures in state government; recreates the Task Force on Electronic Signature Technology, of which the Chancellor is a member.

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (97-0) 02/24/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (46-1) 03/30/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/22/98

GCCA

HB 3297

(Benson/Taylor) – TAX SYSTEM TASK FORCE. Creates a Blue Ribbon Task Force for Oklahoma’s Future Tax System; provides for appointment of members; states that the primary duty of the task force will be to make recommendations to the Legislature for reforming the state tax system.

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (98-0) 02/25/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (44-3) 04/15/98

SENATE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/21/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/23/98

HB 3312

(Seikel/Herbert) – SOLE SOURCE CONTRACTS. Authorizes an agency to enter into a sole source or professional services contract with a person who has retired from the state with retirement service credit equal to 80 points, as used by the retirement system to determine whether the person has reached a normal retirement date. (74 § 85.42)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (63-33) 03/02/98

EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (71-23) 03/02/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (44-3) 03/31/98

SENATE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/23/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/23/98

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTIONS

HJR 1073 (Bonny/Robinson) – TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. Proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing the use of public facilities at State System institutions if the use is in connection with a project involving the research or development of a technology, whether or not the technology is protected pursuant to federal or state law governing intellectual property, the results of which have potential economic value for a private enterprise or private business entity involved in the project with the institution; requires the legislature to enact laws authorizing such institutions, and such employees of or students enrolled at those institutions, to have an ownership interest in a technology, whether or not the technology is protected pursuant to federal or state law governing intellectual property and to have an ownership interest in a business enterprise or private business entity, if such technology is the result of a research conducted by such institutions or if the technology is a result of the authorized use of facilities, equipment or services of such institutions.

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (95-1) 02/23/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (46-0) 03/30/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/14/98

HJR 1077

(Hamilton/Haney) – CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BONDS. This is a proposed constitutional amendment authorizing the state to issue bonds for capital improvements.

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (85-12) 02/26/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 04/14/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/21/98

GCCA

HJR 1084

(Roach/Williams) – OKLAHOMA HOPE SCHOLARSHIP. A proposed constitutional amendment creating the Oklahoma Hope Scholarship Program to provide eligible Oklahoma students with money for higher education general enrollment fees, supplementary and special fees and up to $100 per semester as a book allowance; requires that students meet certain income eligibility requirements and have completed high school with a "B" average and maintain such an average in college; specifies an order of preferred priority for funding sources and limits the possible increase in the corporate income tax to 0.5 percent.

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (79-19) 03/04/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (30-17) 04/13/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/20/98

GCCA

HJR 1088

(Roach/Kerr) – TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. This is a proposed constitutional amendment authorizing the use of facilities at State System institutions in connection with a project pursuant to which the results of research have potential economic value in the private sector; authorizes the legislature to enact laws governing the extent to which the entities may own equity interests or royalty interests in private business; requires that such laws provide for the use of the facilities and the ownership of equity or royalty interests to promote business activity in order to improve the economy of the state.

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (86-7) 03/04/98

TITLE STRICKEN 03/16/98

ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN - SENATE 04/07/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 04/07/98

SENATE AMENDMENTS - REJECTED 04/23/98

CONFERENCE REQUESTED 04/23/98

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS

HCR 1068 (Leist/Muegge) – 4-H/OSU COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE. Declares April 8, 1998, as "4-H Day at the Legislature"; states that the establishment of 4-H can be traced back to the enactment of the Smith-Lever Act which established the Cooperative Extension System and the state land-grant universities.

ADOPTED - HOUSE 04/08/98

SENATE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 04/13/98

HCR 1075

(Taylor/Muegge) – INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS. Commends all people involved in international student programs and recognizes the many international students who have chosen to share their lives with the people of Oklahoma; declares March 23, 1998, as "International Student Awareness Day".

ADOPTED - HOUSE 03/18/98

SENATE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 03/19/98

HCR 1081

(Deutschendorf) – WEBSITE COMPLAINT FORM. Directs state agencies that have an established Internet website to make available on the website a plain-language form through which individuals can register comments or complaints relating to the performance of persons, businesses or other entities regulated by the agency; requires that the website provide instructions on filing the complaint or making the comment electronically, or on the manner in which to download, complete and mail the form to the agency, or both, consistent with whichever method the agency establishes for the filing of the form.

SECOND READING - REFERRED TO HOUSE COMMITTEE 03/31/98

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

HCR 1087 (Laura Boyd/Brown) – CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION/OU. Recognizes April as Child Abuse Prevention Month; recognizes the University of Oklahoma College of Continuing Education Center for Child and Family Development for their annual Pedaling for Prevention Campaign.

ADOPTED - HOUSE 04/21/98

SENATE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 04/22/98

HOUSE RESOLUTIONS

HR 1036 (Ingmire) – OSU COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. Commemorates the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine on its 50th anniversary.

TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 03/03/98

HR 1043

(Hamilton) – INSTITUTIONAL PURCHASING. Commends the State Regents and the Chancellor for their diligence in taking a leadership role and improving the purchasing practices of state higher education institutions; encourages the regents and the governing boards of the State System to continue their efforts to make maximum use of taxpayers’ monies by utilizing efficient purchasing practices.